Antique Love
by HamburgerWithTea
Summary: USUK, STEAMPUNK AU, Arthur escaped from a madhouse and tries to hide in the storageroom of a marchant airship. Until he gets discovered by the sky-blue eyed captain... [REWRITING]
1. Chapter 1

nonbeta

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><p><strong>Antique Love<strong>

Chapter 1

_By HamburgerWithTea_

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><p><strong>YOU CAN SKIP THIS AN IF YOU ANT TO, BUT IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO READ?<strong>

I kind of promised a new chapter for HwRT to one of the readers who got me back to digital life XD but uuhm well… You must know I've been DYING to write this fanfic since chapter 5 of ICL, and I kept myself from writing it until I finished that fanfic, so now it's finally done I couldn't really keep myself from starting this…

Steampunk is really something I've loved for almost all my life :P I think it started when seeing Treasure Planet in cinema at the age of… 7? Something like that :P and it grew worse and worse, and I've been thinking about a plot for it for over half a year now, and finally got one!

I'm really motivated for writing this, all there's left is time; school decided I'd have to spend a lot of free hours at school, not being able to go home, but not being able to write either. So I don't know how regular the updates will be, nor how fast I reply all reviews and comments, but please stick with me~

Some small info for the readers who are not that familiar with steampunk;

Basically steampunk is historic setting, I tend to switch from a lot of centuries, but with modern technology. So it's possible to have a car drive around in medieval times, but they will probably be working on steam and with small gears and stuff with wood and copper. Aside from these few basic things it's really up to your own fantasy, which gives you plenty of room to think up whatever you like the best! I really love it since it combines two things that interest me; History and Technology. If you've got any questions about it, feel free to ask! :D

In this story I will keep the world and the names of the lands the same, since I'm a fail when it's about making up names.

Long AN was long, but it was needed to give some kind of introduction. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I enjoyed making the plot! (And yay this time not only Artie will have a dark side of his life, but Alfy too! I won't spoil any more~)

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><p>Voices were heard around me as I hid behind a few wooden boxes. I finally managed to escape and had even gotten as far as the harbour, but they caught up on me and I'd have to get out of here soon to make sure I'd not be caught, not be brought back to… <em>that hell<em>_._

I felt cold, wearing not much more then my sleepwear, which consisted out of a shapeless, white piece of cloth without sleeves, reaching up to my knees. I has always felt uncomfortable wearing it, it made me look like some madman, but it were the rules everyone had to wear it; it was all we had.

They had taken away all my possessions as I came in, telling me 'it was for my own safety and wellbeing not to stay attached to things and memories from the past'.

If I'd know about that place that I knew now, I'd have ran away right there, leaving everybody in my family behind. After all, they were the ones who put me in that _hell_to begin with.

A mint coloured bunny was flying around my head, also panicked, showing just how I felt, but I didn't pay mind to it. I needed to concentrate on where the voices came from and where they were going.

I could hear a total of five voices, but I knew there would soon be more; they were really doing everything possible to get me back to the building I fled. They really believed I was crazy and could go nuts any minute, maybe even kill someone.

I'd never even got near to killing someone, well except for glaring daggers, so they must be the crazy ones here.

"He must be somewhere around here! Search, you fools, it's a bloody lunatic, it's not like he can go far!"

"True, he's got to be somewhere near the supplies that are stored to be shipped away. Make sure he doesn't leave with them!"

I could feel a shiver over my back as I noticed my hideout wasn't the best I could've thought of. But now it was already too late.

I tried to form myself into a small ball, wishing I was invisible or that there would be some kind of _miracle_that would come to save me. I'd even fall in love with a fool for the rest of my life in exchange of being able to get out of this situation.

"Hey, wait, I think I saw someone move over there!" a voice yelled from close by. For a moment I expected they had found me, even though I didn't move, and that they were going to grab my hair and drag me away from my hideout, taking me all the way back to…

But I was wrong. The footsteps actually ran to the opposite side, all five of them if I heard correctly, and after waiting a little while longer I dared to peek over the boxes to see if the coast was clear.

I saw the last man run towards the wooden boxes stored on the other side of the small storage deck, following whatever they had seen moving.

For a small second I doubted if I should take my chances and run to the first way out I came across, but I figured this might as well be my last chance.

I kept my head down, but moved my legs as quick as they possibly could, and my loyal friends following me. The mint coloured bunny and small fairies would always accompany me, they were my very best friends. Sadly no one else seemed to see them.

I ran towards a bigger amount of boxes stored nearer to the dock where the ships were floating in the water, waiting patiently until it was time for them to depart and go either to the rough sea or the free air. They were magnificent pieces of technology, never failing to fascinating me.

I've always wanted to travel; whether on land by steam-powered locomotives and automobiles, or by airships and normal boats. Travelling to the highest mountains, to where the snow and cold would freeze the joints of the mechanical wings if not taken care of properly, or to where the sun would be so warm one could only travel at night.

I've read about these adventures in books that I've been reading as a kid, but that were long gone now the doctors in charge of _that place_ had taken them away from me, and probably sold or burnt them.

I ran further towards the boxes as they piled up higher above me and I stretched my back from my restrained position earlier. I looked around me, standing still to listen if there were any voices nearby, before I realised I was in the middle of a maze of boxes that all looked the same in the dim light, and nothing to decide what way I was going, as the night's sky was filled with clouds and no stars nor moon could be seen.

For a moment I could feel a rush of panic take over again, but I was able to calm myself down.

_Now don't be such a fool, Arthur! Think, think of what the books taught you about navigation. Use you senses, listen carefully__…_

I closed my eyes and let the sound getting captured by my ears and sending the sounds to my brain.

I could hear the voices of the men, I couldn't identify how many of them it were, behind me, but not too close. They seemed to be still searching, I figured when picking up a few words.

Now I knew the men weren't dangerously close I decided to focus on other sounds, such as the water.

At my right I could hear small waves bumping to the quay and breaking apart, sending the water to the sides to make room for another wave. I knew that was where I had to go, and I quickly made my way towards my goal.

The boxes made it hard to keep track of where I was going, seeing as they really _were_set up as if they were meant to make a maze. But even though sometimes I had to stand still for a moment, I managed to make my way to the boarder of the 'box-maze'.

I looked around, somewhat hidden again since the boxes weren't piled so high anymore, making sure there wasn't anyone looking for me. Luckily it seemed the fools had thought I went the other way, not expecting me to be able to get out.

I looked to my right and realised it would probably be stupid to walk that way, considering there were only two boats lined up and the men were searching somewhere that way.

I looked to my left and saw a row of boats. A _long_row of boats. There were lots of them, all proudly poking the sky with their masts, trying to show off whichever was the biggest.

It might be night, but the grey clouds and the small reflection of light form the lit up dock still made it possible for me to see that there were _a lot_ of masts, and thus a lot of ships.

I looked around me once again, checking for the last time if it was safe to make a move, and ran to the other side, towards the boats, as soon as I realised it was.

I started to dash forward, along the row of boats all lined up to depart any time soon, and I only stopped as I felt how hard it was becoming to breath. The long time in that _place _hadn't done much good to my health or endurance. Not like I ever was one to have a lot of endurance to begin with…

My lungs kept begging me for oxygen and it was hard to stay focussed. I could hear my own heart beat in my ears and for a moment I thought of just finding a place around some boxes and sit down, but I knew that if I'd were to do so, I'd probably end up back at the place where I escaped, with even more security then ever. Then I'd have waste my one and only chance.

I suddenly heard how new, loud voices started to form from the boxes I'd left behind.

"The others didn't find him there, maybe he ran this way. Make sure to catch him, guys. We don't know how dangerous he can be, considering he doesn't even know the difference between real life and his own fantasies,"

The voice belonged to one of the officers that'd often pay a visit to the doctors that were taking care of me and the others, checking up on the latest progress of their experiments. _The arseholes!_

I didn't stand there any longer though; I knew I'd had to make my way out of here, jump on a ship and hope the ship would depart soon. And even if it wouldn't it'd be okay, considering any place was safer then just standing here like a food, waiting for them to catch me.

Turning around I faced the way I was going again, grabbing myself together before I made a quick dash to one of the gangplanks, the closest I could find, that were used to load a ship.

I made my way up, wishing fiercely that nobody would encounter or see me, and jumping off it as soon as I reached the top. I was now standing on the deck of one of the ships, but that probably wasn't save either.

I knew there soon had to be someone walking around here soon, since the gangplank was only used if someone were to leave or enter the ship.

I looked around me, hearing the voices get closer, as I ran towards one of the shutters in the deck, the one that was open, and I dropped myself in there, quickly walking towards where most boxes were stored and sitting down behind them.

For now I would be safe. I motioned to the fairies and bunny that they should stay quiet as I started to calm down.

I had to make my breath get its regular speed again and I should keep my ears open in case there was someone coming down here.

For a moment I sat there, waiting for any sound or any movement, until I could hear people's voices on the deck.

"Hey, captain, glad you're back. That's the last box, right?" a somewhat cocky voice said.

"Yeah, Gilbert, this should be the last one. We're gonna depart soon after I put this in the storage room, makin' sure we wont miss any markets. It'd be uncool to lose profit,"

I gritted my teeth at the weird made-up word but soon became silent again. It'd be utterly stupid to give my hideout away just because this _git_didn't seem to know about proper spelling.

Not soon after the man had announced he'd drop the box –well that's what he said, right?- in the storage, I could hear the feet of the man walking on the wood above me and making his way towards the shutter. He climbed down and then called out for the other guy again.

"Hey, Gilbo, help me out here for a bit. Hand me the box," the voice sounded happy and a bit goofy. It almost sounded too young for a captain; in all the books I'd read captains were old man with a wooden leg and a parrot. This guy didn't seem to have either of them, though I could hear some small peeping as if there was some small bird around.

"Yo, here," I could hear how something heavy was lifted and then, with a small 'uhff' dropped down in the hands of the other man, "Say, captain," the man spoke up again as the so called 'captain' made his way to store the box.

"Yeah what's it, Gilbert," the footsteps got closer and I could see a shadow form on the wall I was facing, formed by the captain standing in front of one of the oil lamps. I held my breath, not sure what to do if I were to be caught right now, but I could hear how the box got dropped and a small, content sigh was expressed.

"Why did it take so long anyways? Normally you're done pretty awesomely fast,"

It seemed this fool also didn't know how to spell properly. I silently wished not every one of their crewmembers would be the same.

"They mistook me for some kinda lunatic or sometin'. I was just walking around and finding the box I needed and they mistook my shadow for some mad guy's," the captain explained, "Seems the guy escaped some madhouse tonight, runnin' towards the harbour,"

"Wow, did they find him yet?" the cocky voice asked after a small pause at which he grabbed the small shutter-door to close it as soon as his captain left it.

"Nah, seems not. They said he was blond, skinny, probably wearin' some white dress-like cloths and huge eyebrows. You seen him around? Seems like they're gonna give two thousand Gold* to the finder,"

"No man, didn't see anything. I've not been watching the deck too much though, had to watch down stairs as well," the voice belong to 'Gilbert' admitted, "You gonna look for this crazy guy? Two thousand Gold is pretty much,"

The small shutter got closed and the voices got darker and less loud.

"Yeah, true, two thousand is some awesome amount. We'd just turn him in when we find him, though I don't think we will; we're gonna depart now, remember?"

"Yeah, sure," I could hear 'Gilbert' say and all sounds except for the footsteps above me went quiet.

I could soon feel how the ship started to move, but I couldn't care less. I was exhausted and I didn't want to do anything else but sleep right now.

Without a lot of effort I got myself to fall asleep, my friends lying next to me or watching out for me, as I decided they had to be talking about me. But there was one thing they were wrong at;

I wasn't crazy.

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><p>The last three days hadn't been too comfortable. Sleeping on the wooden floor wasn't the best one could do, and considering this was an airship, we flew pretty high it seemed as I noticed how cold it could get at nights.<p>

I noticed how I got a small cold, but there was nothing to do about it; I'd just leave the ship as soon as possible once we'd get to the next harbour. And that seemed to be in about seven days, or at least that's what the voices on the deck would say.

The past days I'd survived by stealing some pieces of food and water stored down here. Sometimes the crewmembers would get down here to get new supplies, but most of the time it was pretty save.

Right now it was day. I could see because there were small rays of light shining through the shutter's lock and planks.

I was standing next to an opened box at the moment, ready to grab a fresh loaf of bread, before I realised the shutter got opened.

I gasped silently for air and dropped the bread without realising.

_I have to make my way back to the bigger pile of boxes before I'll be noticed!_

With a quick dash, as silently as possible, I made my way towards the hideout where I'd been sleeping all these times. It seemed these boxes stayed untouched as they only contained expensive cloth and other supplies meant for trade.

But I wasn't silent enough though as I stumbled into a few boxes while getting back. And of course the bread had made a small sound as it had dropped.

I sat behind the big pile, silently trying to breath as quietly as possible as my heart pounded in my ears and blood rushed through my body. I had to keep calm!

"Anybody here?" a familiar voice asked. It was the captains voice, I could easily recognise by how young and proud –he'd called it 'heroic' as few times with his crew- it sounded.

"…Anybody?" he walked towards the still opened box with the bread lying next to it. I wished he'd just leave and think it was one of the crewmembers as he picked it up and muttered a word, "…Strange,"

I stopped breathing, eyes fixed on the wall, trying to make my ears locate where the man was standing right now and where he was moving to as soon as I hear his footsteps again.

I closed my eyes, clenched them together, wishing, almost _praying_ that he'd just leave.

The footsteps silently and slowly moved away, and slowly I got to think I was _god damn_lucky. I could hardly believe life finally went the way I wanted it to.

But I realised I shouldn't have cheered too soon.

In a quick movement I could feel how my hair was grabbed, sending pain though my head and making me make a small yelp.

"I knew it!" the voice exclaimed, almost sounding as a proud little kid who found some buddy with hide-and-seek. But this time, it wasn't just hide-and-seek.

And I wasn't a buddy.

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><p><strong>1 Gold<strong> = about what we'd call **1 **euro/dollar/whatever

**1 Silver** = about what we'd call **0.50** euro/dollar/whatever (50 cents)

**1 Bronze** = about what we'd call **0.10** euro/dollar/whatever (10 cents)

This will be the currency they pay with. I decided it'll be international, so they can pay with it wherever they are. Oh, how original I am XD

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><p><em>Author's Note/_

_Lol I actually wrote on without realising, so I've already got a small part of the next chapter XD but hbgdfjgfdjb I'm TIRED OKAY, SO THIS WILL BE THE CLIFFY FOR NOW._

_I know there's not happened much yet, and I know I should be updating other fanfics, and I know I'm super busy with school, and I know all that stuff but, I'M SO HAPPY I FINALLY GOT TO WRITE IT._

_I've had this in mind for_ _SO LONG it's just sick. It feels good to have finally started it._

_Just know I wont update regularly, no matter how motivated I am or how much you guys beg, since school DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT FANFICTION IS IMPORTANT._

_Thanks for reading, please leave reviews and look forward to the next chapter, even though this was crappy! I'VE GOT SO MUCH MORE IN STORE! ;A;_

_~Bye_

_(oh gawd I should be replying comments and reviews now, not writing .)_

_And a big thanks for DA's Hells-Lounge who agreed on beta-ing it!_

_I do not own Hetalia or the characters, those belong to their rightful (awesome) creator, __Hidekaz Himaruya_

_(08/20/11)_


	2. Chapter 2

nonbeta

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><p><strong>Antique Love<strong>

Chapter 2

_By HamburgerWithTea_

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><p>Well, of course sorry for the wait, but please understand that school is really trying to kill me! I will try making the chapters longer, but I can't promise yet. I'll do what feels right.<p>

Also sorry if Alfred is somewhat OOC at this part; it's that way in order to make the plot work, so please bear with it. I promise you guys he's not a bad man :P

Oh and I'm planning to make a small contest for you all to draw a preview-picture for dA! :D so make something when you feel like it? :D I have no deadline set yet, but I give you at least a month :3 make whatever you feel fits the story!

Jolly Good,

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><p>The bluest eyes I had ever seen; the ones that looked as if they were the sky itself, as if they were small portals to an unreachable world of dreams and eternal happiness. It were the eyes that were now staring down on me.<p>

I was speechless.

"Hey wait a minu-…" the man, almost still a boy, realised as he inspected me a bit longer, "You're the one they are looking for! The lunatic with the busy eyebrows!"

I tried to shake my head, move away, disappear, _anything_ in order to make him think I wasn't, but I knew it wouldn't help, I knew I was lost.

He'd found me and I was screwed. Really screwed.

I felt anger for him daring to pick me up by my hair and on top of all that, insulting my eyebrows! _They're not even that big, they are just…special._

But even stronger then my anger was my fear; I knew what he'd do now he caught me; he'd said so a few days ago, when I first got onto the ship.

I wanted to observe him longer, trying to find out _any_way possible to escape or finding his weak spot, but before I was able to I felt another rough tug at my hair.

I hissed in pain, and for a moment the man seemed to stiffen a bit by that, but it wasn't long enough for me to wish the pain away.

He jerked my head up even further, and with a quick movement he forced me to crawl over the boxes, to the other side of the storage room. Towards the shutter where a small wooden ladder was placed now.

For all this time I was silent. I didn't know how to react, I didn't know what to do. All my mind could make sense of was the fact that I was screwed. _Very__. _

"Hey, Gilbert!" the man suddenly shouted from behind me, still holding me, but this time by my wrist. I felt like I was a criminal, busted by the police, but it felt unfair; I'd done nothing wrong!

Maybe it wasn't fully legal to board on a ship without paying for it, but I didn't really have another choice, now had I? and the man could've at least _asked_me why I was there, instead of just believing those bastards that were certain that I was bloody _mad_.

An albino man appeared near at the shutter's entrance –my only way out- and looked at me with a surprised expression.

"Who's that, captain?" He asked curious, but the cocksure grin on his face showed he already expected who I was.

"Found this rat near our supplies, eatin' our bread and stayin' there for free," the blue-eyed captain started to explain, "but who does he remind ya of?"

I could hear how the captain's expression also turned into a grin while talking, still holding me –by the back of my shirt now- and making sure Gilbert was able to inspect me.

"It's not like I can forget eyebrows like his! It's that madhouse guy from the paper!" Gilbert confirmed.

I knew I should be more offended by the eyebrow comment; I'd normally started to beat the shit out of the guy if I weren't in a situation like this, but I couldn't bring myself to move.

I vaguely realised this might be some sort of shock, but I could care less. All I cared about for the moment was if there was _any_way to escape or talk me out of this. _Anything__._

I got rudely tugged forward by my collar and was then grabbed by Gilbert to tug at my collar, making me walk the ladder so fast I almost fell –even if they thought I was mad, they could still be more _gentle__, _right?- and holding me until Alfred also climbed out of the shutter and closed it.

The sun burnt in my eyes and on my skin. For a moment I though I was in a whole different world, but when my eyes got used to it all, I noticed I was on the same ship as I had been on all this time.

But there were some differences;

This time it was daylight. Looking up, I noticed –eyes winched- that it'd probably be a bit before noon.

The other difference was the fact that the deck was a lot more lively; people were walking everywhere, they seemed to be from all different types of countries and all were busy doing their own job, barely looking back to the blond lad that's just been caught: Me.

I tried to look around a bit longer, watching as much details as possible, but in the end it all went too fast.

I felt trapped, imprisoned and I couldn't keep myself from remembering _that place__._

Suddenly panic overtook me, and I started struggling, screaming, anything to get away.

"Hey…What the fuck is wrong with him," Gilbert declared, but I could barely hear him over my scream.

I couldn't bear it; it felt as if I had done something really bad and was going to be punished now. I'd experienced enough '_remedies'_ in the madhouse to know that they only liked you to have pain and make you suffer, long enough to not pass out but still feel the pain for the next couple of days.

I kept screaming, trying to break free, but I didn't succeed.

The other people on the deck were finally noticing at me now, giving an expression that clearly showed how they wondered about who the hell I was, and what I was doing here.

But even with me screaming, struggling and moving, Alfred managed to pull me towards shutter, but this time there were less boxes.

It was just as dark as the other room, and it really made me feel like I hadn't moved at all, but instead of the wood everywhere, this space had a small prison-like feeling to it, with bars and a lock.

It looked a bit old and rusty, which made me wonder how old this ship actually was, but it definitely looked too strong to break.

With a rough movement I was put in the cell and the lock was closed by a weird-shaped key at the captain's belt.

I didn't even have to think twice before I moved afar away of the two men as possible, hitting my back to the wall and sliding down, trying to make myself as small as possible.

"Don't try to escape, ye've got nowhere to go anyways. We'll give ya food, so be grateful," the captain said, "We'll see about what to do with ya soon, but for now yer stayin' in here," and with that he turned around, Gilbert following his lead, and got back up the deck.

I was alone now.

The room was dark, almost pitch black, the only light were the few rays of sunlight shining through the shutter. It felt nice to my eyes to be back into the darkness, the one they were used to, but also it felt a lot less save.

The room wasn't very different, but having no boxes or anything to hide behind, and having nothing but a clam and cold wall to lean against, sure made me shiver from both fear and cold.

I could see how the fairies and my mint bunny appeared from different directions. They seemed to have been able to fly with me, not wanting to leave me alone.

My favourite fairy, the one with the pink dress whom I called Pinky –I'd never been good with names- , flew towards me and started to hover in front of me.

"Are you all right, Arthur?" she asked, her voice small and high-pitched, but the familiar sound of it made me feel just a little more at ease, "Hey, Arthur, answer me please," she now moved forward, wanting to put a small hand on my cheek to get my attention. But before she was able to do so, I dug my head in between my knees.

"…Don't want to talk about it," I replied with a muffled sound. I really didn't feel like it, I could already feel small tears forming in the corner of my eyes ad I lay my hands over my head, still scared for what would happen next.

I knew you were never sure if they'd come back, maybe they were just preparing some of their favourite tools? People that were confirmed I were mad, were the most dangerous.

"…Hey, Arthur," the small voice sounded again, now with a bit of concern in it. The type of concern a mother would have for their child.

"… No, don't. You're making it worse. Just be silent and let me wait," I said quickly, still covering my head.

I wanted to crawl away in a corner, hide from the world and it's cruel people.

"Arthur, I think they are gone for real. The blue-eyed one who's in charge didn't seem to lie," she started to confirm me. I could feel how it slowly started to take effect; some of my other friends had joined us, all starting to fly around me and trying to bring me at ease.

I wasn't fully convinced just yet, but I was already feeling less tense. Still, I couldn't help the tears from falling down.

"I… I don't want to e-experience _that_ ever again," I said, giving a slight sob in between the sentence. I could feel how my friends tried to hug me and make me feel completely at ease, and I was grateful for that, but I couldn't keep myself from hating how pathetic I looked.

I must have looked pretty pathetic after all, but despite of my sadness and fear, I found my eyelids slowly closing more and more with every tear that fell.

I just wished I wouldn't be disturbed from my dreams filled with happiness, before I drifted off to a restless sleep, filled with moments I'd randomly wake up.

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><p>I don't know how long I've been there, but at some point I was awoken by the sound of the shutter being opened.<p>

Instead of the usual plate with food, the man –which I recognised was Gilbert again- held the weirdly shaped key.

That was different from usual; normally they'd just serve the plate near the bars and would leave me get it myself, trying to make as little contact as possible. Personally I preferred it that way; I wasn't used to social talk and the like.

"Captain invited you over," the albino man said, moving towards the lock.

I stood up from the corner of the cell and slowly approached him. I still was suspicious of all of them, and I didn't want to get to close, but I figured anything would be less bad if I'd just obey and won't start rebelling. I had nowhere else to go anyway.

He grabbed me by the collar of my –now filthy- shirt again and started to walk up the stairs, making sure I followed him.

He wasn't too rough, which I appreciated, but still he tugged me forward whenever he thought I wasn't moving fast enough.

After such a long time in the dark shelter, my eyes had to adjust to the light again. It seemed to be even worse then last time and I could feel the sun burn in my eyes, making them tear and giving me the urge to run right back to the darkness. But instead of doing so, I kept walking.

Again, people were working too hard to bother with me, but I didn't mind. I must have been looking horrible anyways, not seeing daylight for a pretty long time, wearing cloths filled with dirt, smelling disgusting, and my un-washed state.

For a moment Gilbert stood still to make a small talk with one of the other crewmates, this one having blond, wavy hair and cloths that made me wonder if he could even move around in them. I didn't think I would ever become friends with him.

He seemed such a flirt, and I immediately got some small, nagging feeling he was French, which only made me dislike him even more.

While Gilbert was talking on, I took this opportunity to take a look at the ship.

I hadn't noticed the first time, but it seemed that this ship wasn't like the usual airships;

Normally they'd have a big zeppelin hanging above them, lifting them up with hot air, helium or several other ways, but this time there was a whole different way of getting the ship to move.

At both sides of the ship huge, mechanical wings were attached. They seemed to be made of wood, several ropes, copper, and linen in between the lose parts.

It made me think of the wings of bats and dragons, the ones from stories and myths. It was really fascinating.

Again I was tugged forward, this time straight towards what I expected to be the captain's cabin.

The door read 'Hero!' and when we entered the room I noticed it was decorated very rich, but also it was very messy; it was as if the owner of the cabin didn't knew how to take care of all the precious items in it. I almost felt sorry for the books that seemed to have laid open long enough to catch dust and get other books piled on top of them.

And it weren't only books. To be honest, with just one look in the room you could tell it was a collection of almost every item you could think of, in all different sizes.

I realised this man, who was, at the moment, sitting behind his desk that was filled with even more items, probably was a merchant. It made me think that had to be the reason why he held all the boxes filled with expensive cloth and a lot of random objects, some I didn't even knew what they were.

"You wait outside, Gil. Don't let anyone in until I give permission, I wanna talk to him," the blue-eyes man said. He received a quick nod from the albino and locked the door once he was outside.

Now it was just him and me.

I could feel the tense atmosphere. It wasn't like you could not notice it, anyways.

"Take a seat," the other said. I didn't mind to give a response, I just sat down. I just couldn't bring myself to talk, and it felt almost as a crime to sit down on a luxurious chair while being so filthy as I was right now.

But I also felt tense for a whole different reason.

The other fear was much deeper, and much stronger. It was the fear of realising it'd probably been long enough time for the ship to be ready to dock again, and that'd mean I'd be sent back.

Back to that _horrible_place. The one I absolutely didn't want to return to, not for a thousand Gold.

I'd rather jump of the ship, even now it was in-air, then go back.

By now the other had also seated down, and a few seconds of awkward silence settled in. I had just started to nervously look around to distract myself, when he started talking.

"So…" the other man started awkwardly. Apparently he also didn't know what to say, but had decided he'd be the one to break the silence anyway, "Uhm, I just wanna let ya know that we'll drop ya at the police as soon as we land. Yer lucky I'm so heroic to keep ya alive and give ya a small deal,"

The man had now looked up from the map he was toying with, to me. Straight into my eyes.

"Wha-," I had to make a small cough before continuing, "W-what do you mean 'a deal'?"

I could feel a bit of suspicion rising up. After all, you never knew with merchants; they could be either offering you a reasonable price, if lucky even a discount, or make you pay at least the double of it's worth.

I was afraid this deal would be one of the latter.

"In payback to the food ya stole, and the free trip up 'till now, I want ya to work for me. Just the usual chores a new crewmate has; scrubbin' the deck, washin' the dishes, night watch…"

He kept looking at me, and I could clearly see he didn't mean this as a deal; more as forcing me, even if I'd refuse.

Again, I couldn't find my will, power or voice to speak. I just nodded; slowly, almost invisible, but he got the vibe anyway, even with his clearly somewhat oblivious character.

As if by lighting, his expression cheered up and he even gave me a small grin, though I wasn't sure what to think of it. It seemed he could change from happy, to serious, back to happy. He was the type of person I tried to avoid most of the time.

Suddenly the taller man stood up and started to rummage through one of the piled with stuff. I could see how the pile leant over dangerously, ready to fall any minute, until it suddenly moved back to it's original place and the captain turned around again, holding something in his hand.

"This," he said, "is a _Tracer_. No matter where ya go, I will find ya,"

He started walking back to me, and I felt the urge to crawl back, away from him, but before I got the chance, the man had grabbed me tightly by my right leg and started putting on the copper-coloured band.

As soon as the band was attached the sound of gears working could be heard when it started to take shape to the right size for around my ankle to stay comfortable, but not slip off. It was almost as if it had it's own life, and you could hear the gears moving.

The man straightened his back again and looked satisfied.

I just watched in horror.

I felt like a slave; captured, being able to be traced, and forced to work. Even though I'd not done any work yet, I expected I to become rather rough. Especially with my untrained body.

"I'll keep the key," he mumbled, small grin on his face, as he showed me an old-looking key with the same colour as the band around my ankle, "So now we've got this all settled, I want ya to go ask 'round the crew for cloths. There'll probably be plenty that'll fit ya. Once done, I expect ya back in my cabin, so we can discuss some more stuff,"

I sat for a few seconds longer, letting the words make sense in my head, before standing. As soon as I stood, Alfred made his way to the door to open the lock.

I walked towards it, the light shining through the doorframe as if it was a way to freedom, but I knew it were lies. Behind it only lied work and imprisonment.

Life just sucked.

Gilbert seemed to have waited for me outside, taking away some dust from under his fingernails with a dagger that looked dangerously sharp as it glistered in the sun. I wondered if merchants were even allowed to keep that kind of weaponry.

I felt how the band moved along with the gravity and my leg as I walked, and it felt as an extra, more physical restrain on top of the mental imprisonment.

I didn't want to look at it, but couldn't help noticing how it reflected the sun back upwards, almost as if screaming for attention.

"Ask the crew for cloths, then bring him back," the captain said shortly to Gilbert, who just nodded in return, "Oh and my name's Alfred. Alfred F. Jones, heroic captain of this ship, and from now on yours too!" the man beamed while turning towards me, visibly lightening up from his serious mood just a few seconds again.

I figured this personality suited him better.

But before I got the time to bother about it, Gilbert started to walk towards the front of the ship where other crewmembers were working.

But I didn't care; I noticed my friends came back!

They'd hidden as soon as they'd seen Gilbert, but they'd been watching all the time what was happening to me, making sure I was safe.

I'd seen them, but hadn't given them recognition; it'd only confirm their suspicions of me being 'mad' and therefore block my last hope to escape or at least gain some _sympathy_.

And so I ignored them now as well, hoping they'd understand when I'd explain to them later. The last thing I wanted was a fight with the only friends I had.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note/_

_THIS. IS. SO. LATE._

_Almost four bloody weeks! Blame school for that! ;A;_

_Uhgg have to make a lot of assignments and shit and all in a very short time period. I really do try to upload as fast as possible, and I've got a lot of stuff planned in my head already, but sadly school doesn't agree with me and my spare time._

_Well, sorry if Alfred didn't appear much in this chapter or was acting OOC, but it will be fixed later in the story. I just had to do this in order to make the plotline fit. Also there'll be more Hetalia characters on the ship, but you'll find out next chapter. Oh and Alfred is, in fact, a merchant, not a pirate, but well… Merchant business can be somewhat…'shady'? :D_

_Uuhm there's a few small things I'd like to mention, it might be interesting to read?_

_First of all; thanks to all that reviewed. I'm sorry I've not replied all messages yet, but damn I still have some of ICL even! I just don't get it done with the small amount of time I have! So I'm very sorry to say so, but I'll probably not reply to every review anymore._

_I will keep replying to questions and suggestions, or anything that really needs a reply in my opinion, but small reviews like "omg I love this" and stuff, wont be replied. _

_But that DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T LOVE READING THEM! So don't stop sending reviews, even the smallest smiley can brighten up my day, and I real all of them! I promise!_

_Pff and yay I wore my US scarf last tueday, and suddenly some girl said "I feel like giving you a dollar" and well, I got one! It's the first dollar I've ever seen or touched IRL, and yea, as USUK fangirl I totally spazzed :P_

_Oh and uuhm… I seem to be stalked by usuk? Almost every kid at school suddenly wears US or UK flags on every clothing item possible, wherever I go I see them, and I dunno, it just happens even when I stare straight forward! :D it brightens up my day~_

_And I should update HwRT, and I've got it all planned, but don't have time. Please bear with me a little longer. ;A;_

_And last but not least;_

_I'M PLANNING ON GETTING A TUMBLR. I've got no sodding idea how the heck the stuff works, but I thought it'd be nice to have some popular social media thingy to contact you all about how the updates are going? _

_I don't have an account yet, but please tell me what you think…. And how it works XD lol_

_Thanks so much for sticking with the story! I will try uploading faster, but you know how life is…_

_Byes!~ :D_

_I do not own Hetalia or the characters, those belong to their rightful (awesome) creator, __Hidekaz Himaruya_

_(09/15/11)_

_Oh and check out the links to the character profiles! I warn them being ugly, but it might be nice to kind of know what they are/will be wearing? ;A;_


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